Topic Contents

Types of Acne

Topic Overview

Newborn acne. About 20% of newborns develop mild
acne. This may be because certain hormones are passed to them through the
placenta by their mothers just before delivery. Or newborns may get acne
because the stress of birth may cause the baby's body to release hormones.
Newborns with acne usually only have whiteheads. And these go away without
treatment.

Infantile acne. Babies between 3 and 16 months of age may
develop infantile acne. They can have blackheads and pimples at the same time.
Infantile acne usually clears up by the time the child is 2 years old. The
pimples rarely leave scars. Infantile acne may be caused partly by
higher-than-normal hormone levels.

Acne vulgaris. The most common type of acne is acne vulgaris. It appears most often in teenagers and young adults.

Acne conglobata (cystic acne). Acne conglobata is a
rare but serious form of acne that occurs mainly in young men. In acne
conglobata, deep pimples develop on the face, chest, back, upper arms, and
thighs. This type of acne can be hard to treat and often leaves scars. Acne
conglobata may last well into adulthood.

Acne fulminans. Acne fulminans is a severe form of
acne conglobata that occurs in teenage boys. In acne fulminans, a large number of
pimples develop very quickly on the teenager's back and chest. These pimples often
leave severe scars. Pimples do not usually develop on the teenager's face. Teenagers
with acne fulminans often have a fever and also muscle and bone pain.

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